


Social Ladders

by qBox



Category: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (Movies)
Genre: Conversations, Other, Young Percival Graves, Young Seraphina Picquery, and picquery informs him otherwise, based on fanart, in which graves didn't want to go to the fancy party, my own actually
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-09
Updated: 2017-04-09
Packaged: 2018-10-16 19:33:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,207
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10578054
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/qBox/pseuds/qBox
Summary: “What would you rather be doing?” Picquery asked without so much as a twitch revealing her amusement at his displeasure. ”Sorting through the trash for another Sophia Scapegrace to apprehend?”“All I’m saying is that I would be much more help out in the field”, he grumbled, "than I am exchanging pleasantries with the social elite.”





	

**Author's Note:**

> Roughly 1200 words spawned from this little image of mine: https://tmblr.co/Znfsgl2KQAB3n

 

“What would you rather be doing?” Picquery asked without so much as a twitch revealing her amusement at his displeasure. ”Sorting through the trash for another Sophia Scapegrace to apprehend?”

“All I’m saying is that I would be much more help out in the field”, he grumbled, "than I am exchanging pleasantries with the social elite.”

He had spent the majority of the gathering with his back pressed into a corner, eyeing the visitors beneath a low frown. With guests well-dressed and loudly conversing, and towers of drinking glasses flowing with a dozen variations of sparkling drinks, the hall that must at some point have been a ball room was bustling with commotion, and yet he had refused to partake in any of it.

Picquery sighed.

"You are _part_ of the social elite, Graves, whether you like it or not", she said dryly, and pointed towards his glass of Elf-made wine. "You always _have been_. One would think it should come naturally to you at this point. Drink."

It didn't come naturally to him, though,  but although Graves would have wanted to argue that growing up in the midst of an upper-crust house did not necessarily make him suited for enjoyment of these gatherings, he remained pointedly silent.

The charity event had come in the midst of a manhunt he would much rather have taken part and glory in,  but as the younger generation of Aurors, him and Picquery had been both asked to tend to social relations during the extent of it.  Auror Kenning, their superior and mentor, had practically petrified Graves to the spot when the young man tried to follow the investigative group unbidden.

"Besides", Picquery continued dismissively as though she wasn't fully aware of what his opinion on the matter was. "We could take this opportunity for what it is."

"And what exactly is it, Seraphina?" Graves asked, making very sure to keep the sneer off of his lips. If there was anything he had always prided himself on, it was his ability to control his face. The frequent frown was one thing - random spurs of emotion another, and those should be controlled. "A means to keep the inexperienced out of the way and thus allowing us even less opportunity to gather experience?"

Graves was bitter, to say the least. He had been performing outstandingly well throughout the entirety of his time at MACUSA so far - even old man Kenning had admitted it _in his presence_ several months back. Had he not caught the crook but been else-place during a mission, he had ensured that no strings were left uninvestigated on his end, no stone unturned.

He had just recently caught the quarter-giant Scapegrace singlehandedly, for crying out loud, and they had been searching for her for weeks before he was let on the case. To imply he was proud of his achievements so far would be a clear underestimation.

And yet, now with Horace Canard hunted for extensive use of an Unforgivable Curse against at least half a dozen No-Majs, he had been stationed away from where he could be at his most useful, and instead was forced to mingle with people too caught up in their own self-worth to see the country going to shit.

Picquery however, pleasantly greeting a passing Potioneer Graves had recently gotten to know during the investigative work of a previous case, seemed unperturbed by his qualms, the small smile she'd worn falling into a serious line when she turned to face him again.

"An _opportunity_ , Percival", she repeated, "for the both of us to extend our network into the rest of the elite. If we are to make progress in this department, we need to climb some social ladders to get there. Don't you think Kenning sent us here for a reason? He already made sure to have several of our elders on a job where you and I would simply have become superfluous. You are just as well aware as me the dangers of bringing too many Aurors to one skirmish, so do us both a favour and quit moping."

"I am not _moping_ ", Graves protested although he was perfectly aware that that was _exactly_ what he was doing, and Picquery's dismissive glance made it all too clear that she knew as well.

"Think on it", she said, and took a sip from her small glass of sparkling Giggle Water, followed by the single, high-pitched laugh the drink would cause. She then turned, unperturbed by the noise that had escaped her, to wander back into the crowd.

"Where are you going now?" Graves asked as she moved away, and she paused, turning back towards him with her head tilted.

"I do not plan on remaining a lowly, report-filing,  _Auror-trainee_ for the remainder of my life, how about you?"

He blinked mutedly for a moment, her point taking root in the back of his head and making him actually consider the idea. He hadn't considered that Kenning had sent them to this event for any other reason than to keep them out of his hair. Of course, Picquery had a point, although he wouldn't tell her that outright. One one hand, he could remain a call-upon-Auror, the unnecessary cog in an investigative team that could be removed with little to no effect on the result. On the other,  he could be one of the most vital ones, like several others had been before him in his family. It would make sense for him, too, to take such a step if it were necessary to further his future in MACUSA's midst.

Graves had always just assumed that it was all a matter of being good at what they did in the field that brought them their high positions in the end, but then again, his father had been known to house some extraordinary parties before his passing. Young Percival Graves had often been much too small to partake in the events in full, but he did remember a lot of handshaking taking place between his late father and the man's guests - and he did inherit a lot of connections as proof of its effectiveness.

"Unless you suddenly feel more inclined to be change profession to Hit Wizard in preference to Auror, of course", Picquery added serenely when he remained quiet in thought, and then continued before Graves could take too much offence to the suggestion, "but we both know you are much to overqualified for that."

"I would hope so", Graves sighed, and took a step out from his position by the wall, swallowing a mouthful of the Elf-made wine on the way. He would not be caught dead with the magically induced laughter from Giggle Water on his lips, but he did know how to converse and make small talk if needed be, even if it wasn't his favourite thing to do.

Heck, if Kenning had meant for this to be another type of challenge for him, Graves would ensure that he performed absolutely _flawlessly_ during the rest of the evening. He had a reputation to keep up, at this point. He stepped up to Picquery's side and raised the glass in her direction with an upwards curl to his lips.

"Let's climb some ladders, then."

**Author's Note:**

> I have written so many things I have yet to post for this fandom, how did this happen...  
> They keep becoming so long and remain unfinished, so I figured I'd challenge my fate and write something much shorter than I'm used to! :D
> 
> Also, my first language isn't English, so please have patience with me!


End file.
